Aug. 6, 2007

EASTON, Pa. - For the first time in over 30 years, Lafayette preseason football camp opened on College Hill instead of Metzgar Fields. The transformation of Fisher Stadium and the addition of the Bourger Football Varsity House have moved the team's entire operation to a centralized location.

The Lafayette coaching staff got its first look at the 30 freshmen who reported to camp on Sunday, putting the entire group through speed and agility testing on Monday morning. The testing was followed by positional drills on the Fisher Stadium playing field and the practice field behind the visitors' stands.

"Having the freshmen go through one practice before the full squad practice on Tuesday is really important for our incoming guys," said eighth-year head coach Frank Tavani. "It gives them an opportunity to begin to get into a comfort zone and learn about each other as a class."

Several of the first-year performances stood out in the mind of Tavani. "Lewis Irving performed very well in the 40-yard dash and the pro agility drills," Tavani said. "He was explosive off the line and ran one of the best 40 times. Our corps of freshmen receivers (Nathan Padia, Mark Layton and Mitchell Bennett) also looked very good during the drills."

The Leopard freshmen joined their upperclassmen brethren, who checked into their preseason dorm in the morning, for a full-team lunch followed by an afternoon team meeting. The freshmen underwent strength testing after the 1 p.m. meeting, while the upperclassmen were put through speed and agility tests. The balance of the Leopards' first day of camp included team and positional meetings.

"Overall, we showed good team speed and agility in practice today," Tavani said. "We have an enthusiastic group of freshmen who are hungry to compete for playing time."

The first full-team practice will be Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., while the initial two-a-day workouts begin on Sunday, August 12. The coaching staff will alternate between single and double practice sessions until the start of classes on Monday, Aug. 27.

Lafayette is scheduled to practice at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at Fisher Stadium. The practices are open to the public.

Notes:
Senior offensive lineman Jack Thomson informed the coaching staff that he will end his playing career following an off-season back injury.